Improvement in pendulum-sights for ordnance



W. E EOODWIN Sight is Ordnance. No. 44,947. l Patented Nov. 8, 1864.

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wir. F. GOODWIN, or New YORK, N.

IMPROVEMENT IN -PENOULU Wl-SIGHTS FQR ORDNANCE.

Specilicn-tofi forming part of Letters Patent Nall-1,947, dated November S, 1854.

Be it known that I, WILLIAM F. Goonwnv, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Sight for Ordnance; andI do hereby declare the'tollowing to be a full and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part` of this specification, in which.-

.Figure 1 is an elevation of my invention as applied to the breech of a cannon. Fig. 2 is a vert-ical section 'of the same at 2v Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both views.

Myim'cnton relates to gravi tatiug or pendulum sights inwhieh a plumb-bob or. weightis employed to keep thc graduated sight in vcrtical position while the gun may be inclined in any manner fronrrestiug on uneven ground, change of elevation or any other cause.

'lhepresent improvements consist, iirst in a novel device for supporting a ,pendulum or gravitatng sight; second, in a n'ovel manner of connecting the weight or plumb-bob with the sight-standards; third, in an extensionsight of novel construction and arrangement for use in great elevations; fourth, in a device for steadying a gravitating sight; fifth, in a peculiar' manner of applying a spirit-level to a gravitating sight.

In order that others skilled in the art to which my invention appertains may be enabled to fully understand and use the same, I will proceed to describe its construction and opexation. a

A may represent the butt or breech of a cannon, and B abrackct proiccting horizon- C C O, or iu any other suitable manner. The spherical outer end, B', of the bracket B is provided with a conical cavity, b, extending down to its center for the reception of asupportng point or cone, D, which projects downward from the base E ofthe standards F F.

G represents a plumb-bob or weight attached to rigid arms H lEI projecting downward from the base E. The said plumb-bob byitsweight' supports or retains the standard F F invertical position upon the point- D, however' the gun may be inclined or moved.

I is a rod adapted to slide within the bob G and pressed upward by a spring, J, so that its head i bears against the under surface of the spherical end of the bracket B. The head i being slightly concave to tit the lconvex surface of t-he bracket causes su'icient friction to steadyt-he standards and prevent their dellection by wind. The spring J is su pported from below by a screw plug or cap, R, which closes the' chamber containing thespring and permits the insertion or removalof the latter. The rod I tapers downward, so that when it is not requiredto steady the sight it may be pressed down into its 'socket and there held out of con` tact with the bracket B. The standards F F are graduated, as shown at 1 2 3 4 5 6 in Fig.

1, to indicate the degree of elevation of the 'lhe said level is fixed in a tube, N, Fig. 2,

which is passed into an outer casing, O, the said easing being permanently attached to the plumb-bob G and closed :at its ends by heads'o o` both the tube N and casing O having, of course, the customary slot to expose that airbubble to view. The heads o o are furnished with annular flanges fitting within the casing,

and the parts are all held together -by screws .P l? passing through the casing O and secured by screws Q Q. V The operation is as follows: According tothe present illustra-tion of my invention all sights for distances requiring an elevation of less than seven degrees may be taken wi t-h the shifting sight S by adjusting it to the degree or fractional mark upon the standardsFF. For seven degrees elevation the sight is taken through the aperture lwhen the sliding bar L is atits lowest point, so as to bring the said aperture directly above the cross-bar f at top ot' the standards. For eight degrees the bar L is slid up to theposition shown in the drawings, bringing the S line even with the top of the cross-bar f, and thesight is'taken through the aperture l, as before, and so on for any greater elevation.

The end B of the bracket is rounded to a sufficient extent to permit the necessary moing from'the rem' ot' the gun, as herein set tion of the apparatus, but the`ar1ns coming in l contact with the shoulders b b of the bracket limit the motion, so as to maintain a proper presentation of the graduated standards.

The pressure of the head of the rodlI against the bracket B prevents any sudden or undue oscillation of the apparatus from wind or other causes. At other times the weight may be left more free to control the upper parts by press` ing the rod I down into its socket, us before stated.

Having thus described my invention, the following is what I cla-ini as neur therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A. pendulum-sight consisting of graduated standards F F, supported upon a point` D, resting in a cavity, b, in a bracket, J3, proj ectforth.

2. The combination of the arms H II with the standards F F, Weight G, and bracket B, all constructed, arrangec'l, and operating substantially as and for the purposes specified.

3. In combination with the graduated standards F F land notched slide S, the additional graduated extension-bar Il, provided with a sighting notch or aperture, l, at its upper end, as described.

4. The pressure-rod I, adapted to operate substantiull y as and for th e purposes described.

5. In combination with a gravitating or pendulum sight and spirit-level, M, the tube N and outer casing, O, arranged and applied as described.

WM. F. GOODWIN. l \Vitnesses:

JNo. 1).' IAr'rEN, O. D. SMITH. 

